Those of you who read Adventure Cyclist magazine are probably familiar with the writings of columnist Willie Weir.
Although he calls Seattle his home, Weir spends much of his time traveling the world by bicycle. As he tells it:
“I'm not an avid bicyclist, but a traveler who discovered the bicycle.”
Weir has compiled his best Adventure Cyclist writings into a book, “Travels with Willie,” that's available in paperback for $15 at the Willie Weir website, or as a download for a donation.
The former actor explains that the digital download book is offered in the spirit of live theater that often has a “pay what you can” performance.
“If it inspires you or someone you know to get on their bicycle and explore the world, then it has served its intended purpose.”
Podcast
If you're unfamiliar with Weir, you're in for a treat if you listen to an hour-long podcast interview from Seattle radio station KUOW-FM. He was interviewed in May and talked about, among other things, his life as the world's biggest mooch.
This is something that bothered me when I've been on bicycle trips, especially the 11 weeks I spent bicycling across the United States. People often offered food and opened their doors to my friend and me, but we had nothing to offer in return.
Weir helps me understand that we did offer something in return, and that was allowing them to be part of our adventure. In the KUOW broadcast, he tells the interviewer:
“I'm an initiator of kindness. People in this day don't get a chance to be physically kind very often … Enter the traveling bicyclist, and people have the chance to be kind and also be part of an adventure. ..
“I always felt that was a one-way street and I always felt a little guilt.”
Sharing stories
He tells about riding his bicycle through New York and ducking under a porch to get out of a downpour. A man invites him in, he watches TV with the man and his kids, and then is offered the couch for the night.
The wife comes in from work later on, Weir wakes up, and he spends half the night telling her stories about his travels. The next morning she cooks him a huge breakfast and thanks him. She explains that she's been working in a job for 20 years that she doesn't like much, but at least she'd have something interesting to talk about at work that day.
“Even though most people ask the same five questions, most of your job as a traveler is to answer those questions. Most of those people don't have the chance to have their adventure, and what you can do is bring adventure to other people's lives.”
So Weir is bringing his bicycle travel adventures into our lives with his newest book.
The 250-page paperback is available at his Travels with Willie website for $15, or go here for the free digital version for the price of a donation.
Follow his link to Weir's interview on KUOW.
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